The BNCAP (Bharat New Car Assessment Program) was introduced in 2023, under which passenger vehicles are rated between 1 and 5 stars to indicate their safety in a collision. Listed below are the 10 highest-scoring SUVs with a 5-star safety rating in India, along with their respective adult and child occupant protection scores in these BNCAP-conducted crash tests. Do note that Hyundai’s flagship SUV, the Tucson, would have featured on this list at number 8, but it was discontinued recently.
10. Kia Syros
Adult safety: 30.21/32, child safety: 44.42/49
Starting this list (arranged in ascending order) is the Kia Syros, which is available in six trims – HTK, HTK(O), HTK+, HTX, HTX+ and HTX+(O) – and four engine and gearbox options, all of which meet these scores. Kia’s second compact SUV gets 6 airbags, a rear camera, ESC, ISOFIX anchors, ABS with EBD, a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and vehicle stability management across all variants. The top-spec Syros HTX+(O) adds a Level 2 ADAS suite, front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera and a blind-spot monitor.
9. Mahindra XUV400
Adult safety: 30.38 points, child safety: 43/49
Mahindra’s slow-selling Tata Nexon EV rival is among the safest BNCAP rated cars in India, and manages the 8th spot on this list of 10 SUVs in India with a Bharat NCAP 5-star safety rating. Currently only on sale in a sole trim with a 39.4kWh battery, the Mahindra XUV400 EV has safety features like 2 airbags, rear disc brakes, ESP, a TPMS and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard.
8. Tata Curvv EV
Adult safety: 30.81/32, child safety: 44.83/49
Starting this list (arranged in ascending order) is the Tata Curvv EV, whose all 5 variants – Creative, Accomplished, Accomplished+ S, Empowered+ and Empowered+ A – meet these scores. The 5 star safety rating SUV gets 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, a rear camera and rear parking sensors as standard. Only the Curvv EV Empowered+ A is offered with a Level 2 ADAS suite.
7. Skoda Kylaq
Adult safety: 30.88/32, child safety: 45/49
The AOP and COP scores are applicable to all variants of the Skoda Kylaq – Classic, Signature, Signature+ and Prestige, making it a part of the top BNCAP 5 star rating SUVs. As standard, the Skoda SUV comes with 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all passengers, ESC and Isofix anchors for rear seats. ADAS is not offered with the Kylaq.
6. Mahindra Thar Roxx
Adult safety: 31.09/32, child safety: 45/49
All Mahindra Thar Roxx variants - MX1, MX3, MX5, AX3L, MX5, AX5L and AX7L - boast high scores from Bharat NCAP. The off-roader features 6 airbags and a cut-off switch for the passenger seat airbag as standard. Additionally, Isofix child seat anchor points, 3-point seatbelts with reminders and ESC are offered throughout the range. Like with the Mahindra XUV 3XO, a Level 2 ADAS suite is offered in the AX5L and AX7L Thar Roxx variants.
5. Tata Punch EV
Adult safety: 31.46/32, child safety: 45/49
The Tata Punch EV, this set’s second electric vehicle so far, gets the adult and child scores for its entire line-up -Smart, Smart+, Adventure, Adventure S, Empowered, Empowered S, Empowered+ and Empowered+ S. The Tata SUV gets 6 airbags, ABS and ESC, 3-point seat belts for all seats and Isofix mounts as standard. Currently, ADAS is not offered with the Punch EV.
4. Maruti e Vitara
Adult safety: 31.49/32, child safety: 43/49
Prices for Maruti Suzuki’s first EV, the e Vitrara will be announced early next year, but all three trims – Delta, Zeta and Alpha – have the same BNCAP safety score. Interestingly, Bharat NCAP tested the range-topping Maruti e Vitara Alpha variant, which is equipped with safety features like 7 airbags, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat anchorages and an electronic parking brake with an auto-hold function. It is the second Maruti Suzuki car after the Victoris to feature Level 2 ADAS.
3. Maruti Victoris
Adult safety: 31.66/32, child safety: 43/49
Speaking of the Maruti Victoris, the badge-engineered twin of the Grand Vitara and Toyota Hyryder places 3rd on this list of safest SUVs as rated by BNCAP. Although the organisation tested the Victoris hybrid and petrol-AT variants, the safety rating is applicable to all 21 variants. As standard, the Victoris comes equipped with 6 airbags, 3-point seat belts with reminders for all passengers, ESC and ISOFIX anchors for rear outboard seats. Top-spec trims even get a Level 2 ADAS suite.
2. Mahindra BE 6
Adult safety: 31.97/32, child safety: 45/49
Another EV on this list, the Mahindra BE 6 is offered in Pack One, Pack One Above, Pack Two, Pack Three Select and Pack Three variants, all of which boast high AOP and COP scores. As standard, the BE 6 (formerly BE 6e) comes equipped with 6 airbags, a rear camera, parking sensors, TPMS and a driver drowsiness detection system. It also gets a seatbelt reminder for all seats, a manual airbag cutoff switch and Isofix mounts on the rear seats. The BE 6 Pack Three and Pack Two variants get a Level 2 ADAS suite, too.
1. Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e
Adult safety: 32/32, child safety: 45/49
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Tata Harrier EV.
Flagship electric vehicles of two homegrown auto majors, the Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e, share the highest child and adult occupant protection scores in the Bharat NCAP crash tests. These scores apply to all Harrier EV variants: Adventure, Adventure S, Fearless+ and Empowered, as well as the XEV 9e variants: Pack One, Pack Two, Pack Three Select and Pack Three.
Mahindra XEV 9e.
These electric SUVs come with safety features like 6 airbags, disc brakes for all wheels, Isofix anchors, a rear camera and TPMS as standard. While a Level 2 ADAS suite is exclusive to the Empowered variant of the Harrier EV, the XEV 9e offers it with Pack Two and Pack Three.
